


Clint's Idiot Guardian Angel

by respoftw



Series: Tumblr Prompts - Hawksilver edition [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-10
Updated: 2015-05-10
Packaged: 2018-03-29 21:46:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3911791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respoftw/pseuds/respoftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why are you being so nice to me?” Pietro panted between pained gasps.  “Oh God, I'm dying.  You're being nice to me because I'm dying.”</p>
<p>“Always the drama queen, speedy.”  Clint shuffled his arm closer to Pietro's twisted body, ignoring the screaming of his ribs at the movement.  “I'll have you know that I'm always nice.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clint's Idiot Guardian Angel

**Author's Note:**

> From the following prompt on my tumblr:
> 
> Anonymous said to pietrolovesclint:  
> Clint and Pietro stuck on a place somewhere (forest,mountains whatvr)after a mission waiting for rescue team. While they are at it they have those together times telling stories, appreciating some moments, relieving old memories. First Pietro was the usual annoying kid and he started getting attached to Clint.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Pietro panted between pained gasps. “Oh God, I'm dying. You're being nice to me because I'm dying.”

 

“Always the drama queen, speedy.” Clint shuffled his arm closer to Pietro's twisted body, ignoring the screaming of his ribs at the movement. “I'll have you know that I'm always nice.”

 

Pietro laughed at that, a painful wet sounding bark that was nothing like the usual cackle that Clint hated so much. Funny, but Clint would give anything to hear that annoying cackle just now. Because although Pietro wasn't dying, Clint wasn't sure how long that statement would be true.

 

It was supposed to have been an easy mission. Clint didn't believe in easy missions. He wasn't particularly pleased to have been proven right on this occasion. Not when it meant that he and that damn fooled kid were now trapped under god knows how many tonnes of rubble in what used to be a subway tunnel.

 

Clint had heard the crack just before the tunnel caved in and knew that this was it. That this was how it was gonna end for him. He hadn't counted on his idiot guardian angel. Just like in Sokovia, a whirl of blue and white had saved him from certain death. Just like in Sokovia, the heroics had come at a price.

 

The kid was now trapped under a fallen beam, limbs twisted unrecognisably and probably bleeding internally. Cut off from the rest of the team, the two men were trapped until a path could be cleared to rescue them.

 

Clint could only hope they would come soon. Pietro needed to make it out of this OK. If only so Clint could kill him himself for jeopardising his life for an old man's again. He'd never really forgiven the kid for almost getting himself killed back during the Ultron fight. Those endless moments when Clint had been so sure that Pietro was dead were amongst the worst of Clint's life.

 

He'd lost colleagues and friends before. Hell, he was a SHIELD agent for more than a decade. He's pretty sure that he's lost more than his fair share of people before. But they'd all known what they were signing up for. They were career agents, not cocky young kids whose life had barely even started.

 

Now that he thinks about it, Clint probably _hadn't_ been very nice to Pietro. It's a realisation that makes him burn with shame, especially as he hears Pietro continue speaking.

 

“You're nice to other people. Not to me though. I'm pretty sure you hate me.” Pietro's voice is trying desperately to stay light and teasing but Clint isn't fooled. He can hear the hurt and accusation that fuels the words.

 

Ignoring the pain from his bruised ribs, Clint moves closer to Pietro's head – giving up on his periodic attempts to move the metal beam crushing the speedster's chest, he'd not been able to shift it anyway. “I never hated _you_.” he protests as he looks directly into the kid's pain filled eyes.

 

“I hated that you almost died saving me. You're just a kid. I'm an old man.” Clint looked away in frustration. It was killing him that they were in the same damn situation again.

 

“You're a father.”

 

Clint looked up in shock at Pietro as the kid continued.

 

“I don't want any kids to go through what Wanda and I had to. Your life means more than mine.”

 

The total raw honesty and emotion in Pietro's voice absolutely floored Clint. The kid really believed that his life was worth less than someone else's.

 

“Jesus, kid. That's just...you know that's not true, right? You have Wanda and the team. You _matter_ , kid.”

 

Pietro just rolled his eyes, clearly not believing anything that Clint was saying. Clint couldn't stand the thought of Pietro feeling like this. Did he really not realise just how important he had become to them all? Had any of them thought to tell him?

 

As Clint watched the rise and fall of Pietro's chest grow weaker with each passing minute he knew he couldn't let the kid die thinking so little of himself.

 

“Did I ever tell you that Nathaniel's middle name is Pietro?” Clint smiled at the look of astonishment on Pietro's face. “Yeah, we named him while you were still in a coma. I swore the rest of the team to secrecy on pain of arrows. Didn't want you getting a big head. My kid is named after two of the bravest heroes I've ever met.”

 

Pietro's eyes were glassy with pain now, every breath a struggle. Clint kept rambling, hands carding through Pietro's dust filled hair as he spoke.

 

“God, you were annoying when I first met you. This cocky, arrogant brat who signed up for superpowers. I thought you were an idiot. Still do, really. But you're more than that.

 

“I see how you are with Wanda. It's clear that you'd do anything for your family. Even volunteer for some crazy science experiments because you thought it would keep her safe. It's not just Wanda who needs you though.

 

“I've saw the way you help the others. How you keep giving Steve movies and books to help him get up to date on the 21st century. How you get up early and run 70 miles every Tuesday just to get those stupid muffins that everyone likes when it's your turn to make breakfast. I know it was you who cleared my room out of alcohol when I was going through the divorce with Laura. I see the way you always stop to say hi to kids when we're done with whatever bad guy we're fighting. You know that Quicksilver is the second best selling action figure in the under 12 demographic? Yeah, Pepper told me.

 

“You're also pretty popular with the teenage girls as well. Pepper said something about the obscenely tight t-shirt. I think she's underestimating the tight trousers though. And the bad boy image.”

 

“Sou...sounds..like I'm pretty popular...with the....the old man demographic too.”

 

Clint laughed, a harsh unhappy noise. It was so typical of the brat to reach the correct conclusion before he had got there himself.

 

“Yeah. Sounds like. So you need to _hold the fuck on_ because we'll be getting out of here soon. And apparently I have some bad behaviour to make up for.”

 

Pietro smiled up at Clint. Clint's heart ached as he saw the blood staining the kid's teeth.

 

“I'm gonna try.”

 

It was the most beautiful smile Clint had ever seen.

 

They sat quietly after that. Clint never moving from Pietro's side, never moving his hand from Pietro's head as they waited.

 

Pietro was fading fast and Clint was about to give up hope. Of course Iron Man and War Machine chose that moment to break through the rubble. Clint watched helplessly as a pale and concerned Tony flew off with a barely breathing Pietro once the two men had managed to free him. All he could do now was hope that they hadn't been too late.

 

Pietro's body was a miracle. For the second time in a year Clint sat at the kids bedside as Pietro slumbered away in a healing coma. Unlike last time though, Clint made sure he was there when Pietro woke up.

 

“Hey, old man.”

 

Clint stirred from his doze as he heard the croaky voice.

 

“About damn time you woke up, brat.” Clint teased.

 

“I thought you were gonna stop being mean to me.”

 

Clint laughed in relief as he dropped a kiss to the knuckles of Pietro's hand which was gripped in his own.

 

“Starting now, I promise kid.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://pietrolovesclint.tumblr.com)


End file.
